American Airlines experienced significant disruptions on Tuesday, December 24, 2024, when it was forced to ground all flights nationwide due to a technical issue, the Associated Press reports.
The grounding occurred just as the Christmas travel season was reaching its peak, and winter weather threatened to add to the travel challenges.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a national ground stop for the airline after it encountered a problem with its flight operating system (FOS), which handles critical operations such as dispatch, flight planning, passenger boarding, and aircraft weight and balance data. The outage, reportedly caused by a vendor’s technology, lasted about an hour before the FAA cleared American Airlines to resume its flights.
As a result, American Airlines experienced delays at its major hubs, with only 36% of its 3,901 domestic and international flights departing on time. The delays led to the cancellation of 51 flights. In some cases, travelers were unable to make their connecting flights, resulting in frustration on social media. One traveler, Bobby Tighe, expressed disappointment over missing a family Christmas Eve party in New York due to repeated delays.
Despite the technical problems, there were no reports of widespread chaos beyond the typical disruptions associated with heavy holiday travel, according to Dennis Tajer, spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association. However, delays continued, with 961 American Airlines flights reported as delayed by FlightAware by the afternoon.
While American Airlines dealt with the technical issue, winter weather conditions were also contributing to delays. Rain, snow, and freezing rain were expected to affect parts of the country, including the Pacific Northwest, Mid-Atlantic, and New York, exacerbating travel difficulties. Meanwhile, airports across the country, including Dallas-Fort Worth, New York’s JFK, and Charlotte, saw the greatest delays, while Washington, Chicago, and Miami experienced fewer.
The incident came as millions of travelers were expected to take to the skies over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration anticipated screening 40 million passengers through January 2, 2025. Airlines, including American, Delta, and United, are preparing for their busiest travel days on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.
This holiday season marks the first since a new Transportation Department rule took effect, requiring airlines to offer automatic cash refunds for significantly delayed or canceled flights. Passengers also have the option to request rebooking, which may be preferable during peak travel periods when finding alternative flights can be costly.
Despite the challenges, a large number of travelers still plan to drive to their holiday destinations, with AAA estimating that 90% of Americans will be traveling by car. Roadways are expected to be congested, with traffic times potentially up to 30% longer than usual, especially in metropolitan areas like Boston, New York, Seattle, and Washington.
